Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon: "'K-Moonshot' Is a Crucial Project That Will Shape Korea's Future" (Comprehensive)

"Solving Core National Challenges by Integrating AI and Science and Technology"
161 AI and Infrastructure Companies Collaborate to Advance Missions

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, Baek Ganghoon, is delivering a greeting at the 'K-Moonshot Cooperation Company Business Agreement Ceremony' held on the afternoon of the 11th at the Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Paik Kyunghun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, stated on the 11th that the "K-Moonshot" project, which utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to solve national challenges, is a crucial initiative that will determine the future and destiny of South Korea.

Deputy Prime Minister Paik made these remarks at the "K-Moonshot Strategy Cooperation Companies Business Agreement Ceremony" held at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul on the afternoon of the same day, expressing confidence that the "K-Moonshot" project will become a flagship initiative for South Korea.

The K-Moonshot strategy is a nationwide project that aims to solve key national challenges and accelerate scientific and technological innovation by converging AI and science & technology. The government plans to use AI to double research productivity by 2030 and to tackle 12 major national challenges across eight core areas—including advanced bio, materials, future energy, and physical AI—by 2035.

12 Major National Missions Across 8 Key Areas Including Advanced Bio, Materials, and Physical AI Finalized

On this day, at the 5th Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting, the government discussed the "K-Moonshot Progress Report" agenda and finalized 12 major national missions in eight key areas for the "K-Moonshot" project. The missions include: ▲ increasing the speed of new drug development by more than 10 times ▲ commercializing brain implants ▲ developing mass-market ultra-high-efficiency multi-junction solar modules ▲ developing a Korean-style small nuclear fusion demonstration reactor ▲ achieving early realization of eco-friendly small modular reactor (SMR) ships ▲ humanoids ▲ internalizing general-purpose physical AI models and computing platforms ▲ demonstrating space data centers ▲ rare earth elements ▲ fostering world-class AI scientists ▲ developing ultra-high-performance, low-power AI accelerators ▲ and developing error-corrected quantum computers.

The government will appoint program directors (PDs) responsible for each mission through recommendations from ministries and internal selection. The appointed PDs will complete the mission roadmaps, participate in budget planning for new research and development (R&D) projects in 2027, and announce mission implementation plans within the cross-ministerial "K-Moonshot Task Force" launching in May.

This agreement ceremony marks the first concrete implementation step for the K-Moonshot project, and so far, 161 companies have expressed their intention to cooperate with the initiative.

Deputy Prime Minister Paik emphasized, "The K-Moonshot project is imperative, and scientific and technological innovation must be achieved," adding, "Given our confidence in this project’s success, I hope that all participating companies will share South Korea’s many challenges and help prepare for a major leap forward in scientific and technological competitiveness."

Approximately 50 people, including Deputy Prime Minister Paik and representatives from companies involved in AI, infrastructure, and the eight K-Moonshot missions, attended the agreement ceremony. Among the 161 companies that expressed their intention to cooperate, the K-Moonshot project plans to establish a "K-Moonshot Corporate Partnership" centered around 88 companies specializing in AI models, computing, and data infrastructure. Companies in the mission areas will later collaborate within mission-specific subcommittees of the forthcoming "K-Moonshot Task Force."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Baek Kyung-hoon is taking a commemorative photo at the 'K-Moonshot Cooperative Companies Business Agreement Ceremony' held on the afternoon of the 11th at the Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.

The corporate partnership will be operated through three divisions: ▲ AI Models ▲ Computing & Network ▲ Data. The partnership will promote the provision of AI resources, technological cooperation, joint research and development, demonstrations, and the creation of an AI-based science and technology ecosystem. In addition, the government plans to offer various incentives to partner companies, such as providing research data, graphics processing units (GPUs), infrastructure, and support for subsequent commercialization.

During the event, partner companies and government-funded research institutes (KIST, ETRI, KISTI) discussed cooperation plans for advancing the K-Moonshot initiative. Participants agreed that, in the current landscape where major countries such as the United States and China, along with global big tech companies, are engaged in a speed race for AI-based science and technology innovation, South Korea also needs to pool the capabilities and resources of industry, academia, research, and government to accelerate AI-driven research innovation.

Deputy Prime Minister Paik stressed, "Now is a golden time to consolidate national capabilities, as AI is fundamentally redesigning not only the advancement of technology but the very methods of scientific research." He added, "So that South Korea can leap forward from a technology follower to a technology leader, we will pursue the K-Moonshot project with the same sense of mission that prepared lunar landers for the unknown universe, aiming for an 'AI Apollo Era.'"

In closing, Deputy Prime Minister Paik stated, "This project should not end as just 12 missions in eight fields at the research and development (R&D) level; it must reach the stage of commercialization," emphasizing, "The entire government will work together to ensure the success of the project."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.